If you've never cooked beans from dry beans before, there are a number of already cooked, unflavored beans on the market. Simply drain them and add other ingredients. The secret to baked beans is slow and low cooking temperatures.
Here are two similar recipes that will make you outstanding beans, without the risk of undercooked beans.
Boston Baked Beans
Boston is famous for its baked beans. In colonial times, Boston had a ready supply of molasses, which is the primary flavor in this recipe. But we don't want to make it too strong
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Ingredients:
2 quarts cooked great white or navy beans, drained
1/2 lb. bacon or diced ham hock
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbs. dark molasses
1 tbs. yellow mustard
3 tbs. tomato paste
Preheat oven to 325' F.
Combine all ingredients in a heavy, lidded pot such as an enameled dutch oven. Insert into the oven. Bake for 3 hours, stirring every half-hour to combine the flavors and prevent the beans from sticking. Serve hot.
Goodweed's Baked Beans
Ingredients:
2 quarts cooked great white or navy beans, drained
1/2 lb. bacon or diced, smoked ham hock
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tbs. brown sugar
1 cup grade-b maple syrup
1/2 tsp. Mesquite Liquid Smoke
2 tbs. chili powder
Preheat oven to 325' F.
Combine all ingredients in a heavy, lidded pot such as an enameled dutch oven. Insert into the oven. Bake for 3 hours, stirring every half-hour to combine the flavors and prevent the beans from sticking. Serve hot.
There are hundreds of recipes for baked beans. The two I have presented are sweet. Others will no doubt give your recipes for ranch-style beans, or barbecue beans. They will be delicious, judging from the quality of DC folks. In my opinion though, with pulled pork already giving the guests a great and savory sandwich, I'd go with the sweet type of beans to act as a counterpoint against the tangy slaw and flavor of the pork. Now all you need is some ice-cold root beer and a great chilled bowl of diced fruit to cleanse the palate.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North